Class C Airspace Discussion

LOL...

You're name isn't "Kris" is it? You don't fly on online on VATSIM do you?

One of the people I know who flies online couldn't find TTD!

In all seriousness, I fly out of Salem (SLE) and have flown in the Class
C airspace quite a bit. Seattle Center typically will hand you off or
dump you when heading north towards the PDX Charlie airspace. Your only
option is to contact PDX Approach. Yes, PDX Approach is VERY friendly.
I even toured the approach and tower facilities at PDX. It's quite
interesting. Too bad they have the age limits on controlling, since I
could probably change careers for it.

I was on my long cross country as a student pilot and began heading the
wrong direction from TTD. I intended to head towards Mulino (4S9), but
instead was heading about 30-40 degrees east of the heading and was
moving towards Mt Hood (still a ways off). I saw it after a short bit
and as I was making my correction, PDX Approach contacted me to let me
know I was heading the wrong direction, too.

Btw, the Class D does not "invade" the Class C. It just butts up
against the Class C. You are not "busting" any Class D while in the
Class C because you are in contact with the TRACON (e.g. PDX Approach)
and they coordinate handing you off to other facilities while in the
Class C, such as TTD Tower.

PDX, TTD, and HIO all are part of the STARS system at PDX, so all 3
airports have a radar display. Salem, by the way, does not have any
radar display in its tower cab. They are strictly a visual tower.
Apparently, the ZSE radar facility due west of Salem does not cover
Salem that well and Salem is too far south for the PDX (RTX) radar to cover.

Have a great day!

Chris


skym wrote:
Interesting query. At first I wondered how this situation ever arises,
then I remembered my VFR flight into Troutdale (TTD) which is in a
class D airspace that partially underlies and actually seems to invade
the overlying Class C of Portland (PDX). I was on flight following
from the southwest and couldn't find the TTD airport, so PDX approach
was kindly giving me help... "it's about 2 miles at 12 o'clock."
(Don't laugh; they're not always easy to find.) When he told me to
contact TTD tower, I got a rather exasperated reply on my callin that I
should have called them earlier. I meekly replied that I was with PDX
approach until then, and he said "Oh well, that was ok."
So, I guess I technically busted the Class D by not contacting them
while I was still talking to approach (within Class C) but was already
within 5 miles of the Class D airport. Frankly, since I was on radar
with approach control I felt it was safer for everyone to stay with
them until told to contact the local tower at TTD.

Name's not Kris. This was the real thing.

"skym" wrote in message
oups.com...

Interesting query. At first I wondered how this situation ever arises,
then I remembered my VFR flight into Troutdale (TTD) which is in a
class D airspace that partially underlies and actually seems to invade
the overlying Class C of Portland (PDX).


No invasion. There is a hierarchy of airspace, lower classes of airspace
give way to higher classes.


PART 71-DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR TRAFFIC
SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS

§ 71.9 Overlapping airspace designations.

(a) When overlapping airspace designations apply to the same airspace, the
operating rules associated with the more restrictive airspace designation
apply.

(b) For the purpose of this section-

(1) Class A airspace is more restrictive than Class B, Class C, Class D,
Class E, or Class G airspace;

(2) Class B airspace is more restrictive than Class C, Class D, Class E,
or Class G airspace;

(3) Class C airspace is more restrictive than Class D, Class E, or Class G
airspace;

(4) Class D airspace is more restrictive than Class E or Class G airspace;
and

(5) Class E is more restrictive than Class G airspace.



I was on flight following
from the southwest and couldn't find the TTD airport, so PDX approach
was kindly giving me help... "it's about 2 miles at 12 o'clock."
(Don't laugh; they're not always easy to find.) When he told me to
contact TTD tower, I got a rather exasperated reply on my callin that I
should have called them earlier. I meekly replied that I was with PDX
approach until then, and he said "Oh well, that was ok."
So, I guess I technically busted the Class D by not contacting them
while I was still talking to approach (within Class C) but was already
within 5 miles of the Class D airport. Frankly, since I was on radar
with approach control I felt it was safer for everyone to stay with
them until told to contact the local tower at TTD.


You can't bust Class D airspace while you're in Class C airspace. If you
were two miles southwest of TTD between 1700 and 4000 MSL you were in Class
C airspace. If you were below 1700 you were in Class D airspace.